Disney Reportedly No Longer Releasing The Bikeriders

With a star-studded cast and a unique premise, there has been quite a bit of anticipation around The Bikeriders. Earlier this fall, Disney removed the film from their release calendar less than two months before its release — and now, it looks like the film has endured another hurdle. According to a new report from Jeff Sneider, Disney is no longer set to distribute The Bikeriders at all. New Regency, which financed the film, is reportedly looking for a new distributor, and could be “open to all possibilities, including a streaming release.”

A number of factors might have surrounded this decision for The Bikeriders, including the recently-wrapped SAG-AFTRA strike, which had prevented the ensemble cast from promoting the film for months. The Bikeriders already had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival, as well as a screening for Academy members. The film is directed by Jeff Nichols, and is based on the photography book of the same name by Danny Lyon.

What Is The Bikeriders About?

The Bikeriders is a furious drama following the rise of a fictional 1960s Midwestern motorcycle club through the lives of its members. Inspired by Danny Lyon’s iconic book of photography, The Bikeriders immerses you in the look, feel, and sounds of the bare-knuckled, grease-covered subculture of ’60s motorcycle riders. Kathy (Comer), a strong-willed member of the Vandals who’s married to a wild, reckless bikerider named Benny (Butler), recounts the Vandals’ evolution over the course of a decade, beginning as a local club of outsiders united by good times, rumbling bikes, and respect for their strong, steady leader Johnny (Hardy). Over the years, Kathy tries her best to navigate her husband’s untamed nature and his allegiance to Johnny, with whom she feels she must compete for Benny’s attention. As life in the Vandals gets more dangerous, and the club threatens to become a more sinister gang, Kathy, Benny and Johnny are forced to make choices about their loyalty to the club and to each other.

The ensemble cast of The Bikeriders includes Austin Butler as Benny, Jodie Comer as Kathy, Tom Hardy as Johnny, Michael Shannon as Zipco, Mike Faist as Danny Lyon, Norman Reedus as Funny Sonny, and Boyd Holbrook as Cal.

What Are Austin Butler’s Upcoming Movies?

In addition to The Bikeriders, Butler is set to appear as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen in Dune: Part Two, which has been delayed into spring of 2024.

“[We] really try to dig into the humanity of [the character]. It’s that thing of the bad guy in the world doesn’t feel like he’s the bad guy,” Butler explained in an interview last year. “He feels like he’s the hero of his own story. And that can be a hard thing with certain characters; with others, it’s easier, but you have to not judge the character, and you have to find a way to feel the motivation towards anyone of your actions. So, we had a lot of conversations and crafted that together.”

“Denis is so thoughtful, he doesn’t miss anything, and his attention to detail is remarkable,” he said. “Denis is amazing; he’s such an incredible director. The energy on his sets is amazing, everyone trusts him so much, and it’s such a well-oiled machine, and he’s a master of the craft.”

What do you think of The Bikeriders reportedly no longer being released by Disney? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!